Running a business is not easy, and a new survey has found that a large number of small businesses get much more beneficial services from their accountant than just accountancy!
A survey from business software provider Sage has shown that over three-quarters of business owners (76 percent) feel that their relationship with their accountant is very important to the smooth running of their business. More...
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If your business was disrupted or damaged by the recent floods, then you could be eligible for tax relief and advice from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
The Government will bring forward legislation in next year's Finance Bill which will allow the Commissioners of HM Revenue and Customs to waive interest and surcharges on tax paid late due to the floods. More...
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Small businesses have been quick to embrace the internet for business banking, but new research shows that this organised approach is not matched in other areas such as preparing for tax and vat deadlines. More...
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You are probably aware of the increase in corporation tax earlier this year (April 2007); but are you preparing effectively to meet your corporation tax bills?
A new survey shows that a worrying 60% of businesses do not put aside funds to pay their tax bill before the deadline. More...
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Despite measures taken by the Competition Commission to give small businesses a better deal from banks; new research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows that SME’s are still failing to get the service that they deserve. More...
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If your business undertakes research and development (R+D), then you may be missing out on tax credits or even a small cash sum that you could be eligible to receive from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
HMRC gave out over £150 million to local innovative science and technology companies in the last year; helping all sorts of industries including computer games, sports cars, manufacturing, cheese making, food testing and machine safety. More...
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Although it was announced as a measure of taxation against large businesses, the chancellor’s proposed changes to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) could have a damaging effect on many small businesses and employees.
The planned changes will remove the taper relief on CGT, and will increase the tax you have to pay when you sell your business, as well as... More...
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If your business struggles with VAT or find that paying out VAT affects your cashflow then the extension of a special scheme from 1st April 2007 could help you. More...
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You may be aware of the growing trend for both business and the public to be environmentally friendly; but a surprising number of business still do not monitor their environmental performance, despite the potential benefits and quickly rising energy costs.
Environmentally friendly schemes often appear to be for large businesses, but small business can still find big benefits from ‘going green’... More...
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All existing businesses will have dealt with the Inland Revenue at some point, and many with HM Customs and Excise; but now you need to take note that they have merged. More...
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If you haven’t yet filed your Employer’s Annual Returns then you need to act quickly; the deadline to get them to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the 19th May 2005.
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Has your business started saving money by reducing energy bills yet? With an estimated £3billion of savings available for businesses along with the numerous environmental benefits; it might seem strange that more small and medium sized businesses aren’t taking action. More...
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If your business has not yet filed its’ annual returns to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), then you need to act quickly to avoid penalties. The deadline is 19th May 2007.
You need to send an annual return if you had to complete at least one P11 (or similar) deductions working sheet. You may also have to send P35 forms or P14 forms. If (like many business) you are not sure what you need to send, or if you do not need to send a return; you should contact HMRC on the number at the bottom of the page. More...
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If you have not yet completed and filed your self assessment Tax Return then you need to act now or face penalties. The deadline for returns is 31st January... More...
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Many people now gain a good income from selling goods on eBay, but you could be at risk of fines and tax repayments if you are deemed to be a trader by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). More...
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In addition to the bonus payment for filing tax returns online, small businesses are now able to file their employee share scheme returns online, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has announced.
Instead of having to fill in paper forms companies now have the choice to send their annual information about their Share Incentive Plan, Save As You Earn, Company Share Option Plan and non-tax advantaged shares and securities events online. More...
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If your business has its own office or shop, then you will be using energy; but have you stopped to think about whether you are getting a fair deal? More...
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Whether you are looking to start up a business or are looking to develop an existing one, all the advice and services you need are available at two essential events in one venue. Even better, BizHelp24 has secured free entry for all our readers; read the full article to find out how. More...
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HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is reminding 1.7 million small employers to send their 2006-07 PAYE End of Year returns online to receive a £150 tax-free payment.
Open 24 hours day, seven days a week, online filing provides employers with the quickest and easiest way of filing a return. Employers who file online are also able to benefit from practical help, as HMRC's internet PAYE service includes an error alert tool that checks all returns to ensure they are correct. More...
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Over the past few months your business should have received your new business rates demand; you need to act now to ensure that you do not miss out on any rate relief that may be available. More...
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Do you know if your business premises are eligible for Small Business Rate Relief? If not, you need to find out and act now, as the deadline for applications for the 2006/2007 financial year is extremely close. More...
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Many businesses are unaware that they are eligible for research and development (R&D) tax credits; wrongly assuming that the definition of R&D does not cover their activities.
SMEs are still missing out on valuable research and development tax credits, despite efforts from the tax community to spread the word and actively encourage them to apply, according to KPMG’s latest survey of middle market companies. More...
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If you provide your employees with benefits in addition to their pay, you may need to inform HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). If the return and payment are not received by 19th July 2006 then you are liable to a fine of £100 per month, as well as interest and late payment interest... More...
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Within our free Bizstart24 software is a form called 'Management Accounts'. This form is the key to running a small business, however, surprisingly few of the smaller small business owners use it. More...
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Thousands of Muslim businesses across Britain are now able to bank according to their faith, as Lloyds TSB launches the first high street Islamic business account in the country. The account, which complies with Islamic law (Shariah), is available across the bank’s 2,000 branches, and will be open to the UK’s estimated 100,000 Muslim firms. More...
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If your business works within a service industry such as hairdressing, restaurants, hotels, bars or pubs then news of changes to the taxation of tips could provide a boost to your finances as well as slightly simplifying your tax returns. More...
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Unless your tax return was sent to you after October 31st, you should have filed it by now! Those who received it in November or later have three months from the day they received it to hand it in. More...
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If you need to set up a business bank account or you want to know how a business bank account can work for you, we have an in depth look at this subject. More...
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If your business is eligible for small business rate relief then new government action will make it easier to claim the relief from the next financial year (2007/08). If your circumstances do not change, then you will no longer need to apply for the relief every year; you can apply once for a period of up to five years. More...
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After years of court battles, family run businesses finally have a decision on the tax case that could have left thousands of small businesses with huge tax liabilities.
The case between Arctic Systems Ltd and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has seemingly gone through practically every court and appeal available; but the House of Lords have decided to rule in favour of the taxpayer. A decision welcomed by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). More...
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As someone who is involved with a small business, you are probably aware of the pressure caused by business taxation; and the large amount of time and effort it requires to deal with.
Business taxation has topped the list of concerns for small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) according to specialist insurer Hiscox’s second annual SME Risk Barometer, which measures the top ten business concerns for UK SMEs. More...
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The first on-line payroll web site at www.staffpay.net should take a major burden away from the small business owner. More...
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A number of companies have entered the Merchant Services market as a one stop e-commerce solution, however, all is not what it seems! More...
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Following on from our recent article on how much your business could be saving by reducing energy bills, we have found some top tips from BT Business to show how you can make a difference to the environment for little cost (and even potentially saving money). More...
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Most small businesses deal with cheques on a regular basis; whether paying or receiving them, they are an important part of business life. Cheques however, are commonly involved in fraud cases, and are riskier than some other forms of payment.
There are also new changes that mean some cheques of your cheques could be returned unpaid. More...
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Both small businesses and consumers know that banks, credit card providers and other financial institutions are very keen on dishing out charges when you go overdrawn or are late paying by a couple of days.
Now however, consumers and businesses can get some help in dealing with these charges. Problems often start when an unexpected difficulty (such as a bounced cheque from a customer) makes your account overdrawn... More...
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If your business has not yet upgraded its electronic payment systems then you could risk being forced to go back to cheques and cash. More...
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If your business was established before 1996, or if you have bought a business which existed before 1997; a new ruling may allow you to claim back overpaid Vat from the government that was previously thought long lost. More...
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More businesses across the UK can, from this month, benefit from easier ways to deal with VAT, following changes to one of the schemes aimed at helping small and medium-sized firms to better manage their cashflow.
Changes to the Cash Accounting Scheme (CAS) mean an extra 56,500 businesses can now benefit from the scheme, bringing the total number of businesses UK-wide to more than 810,000. This means 44% of VAT-registered firms can now enjoy simpler VAT. More...
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Running a business is expensive, and one of the most expensive costs are the business rates; yet an astonishing number of small businesses have not applied for rate relief that could cut their bill by up to half! Are you missing out? More...
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